Fresh from the sun and surf of Mexico, Curtis Dickson is ready to assume a greater leadership role with the Calgary Roughnecks for an eighth season.

And if the brand new ‘A’ — for alternate captain — on his sweater isn’t emblematic of that, his play on the floor is certain to be.

The Roughnecks hope to erase the memory of a playoff-less season in 2017 when they open up a new National Lacrosse League campaign on Saturday in Upstate New York against the host Rochester Knighthawks (5:30 p.m., NLL.tv).

The home schedule begins next Friday against the visiting Vancouver Stealth.

“We’re super excited with the new pieces we added and the guys we have coming back,” said Dickson. “Last year was disappointing, and there’s really no further to fall than missing the playoffs. We obviously have to be better. But we were one game out of the playoffs.

“We’re very optimistic, and we’re looking forward to that challenge.

“It’ll be a tough battle going into Rochester but a good way to start the season. They’re going to be a hungry team — they were kind of in the same position we were in last year, missing out of the playoffs. They’re a good young team, and it’ll be a good measuring stick to see where we stand early on in the season.”

From a personal perspective, the one they call ‘Superman’ had himself another phenomenal season in 2017, leading the league once again in goals with 54 and amassing 107 points. That came after not playing in the summer as he was rehabbing a groin injury.

This past off-season, however, he hasn’t left the playing field, winning a Mann Cup, the trophy awarded to the senior men’s box lacrosse champions of Canada, with the Peterborough Lakers before suiting up for the victorious Team Canada in the Heritage Cup, defeating the U.S. 19-6 in Hamilton. Both accomplishments were something the 29-year-old won’t soon forget, the former from a purely familial standpoint. His father, Derek, won the 1981 Mann Cup as a member of the New Westminster Salmonbellies at Queen’s Park Arena.

“Winning the Eastern title and getting to come home and play in New West, the arena that my dad played in when he played in that league and he won the Mann Cup on that exact same floor, that was a pretty cool experience,” Dickson related. “Fulfill a childhood dream and having him and the rest of my family to watch me was pretty amazing.”

His Roughnecks teammates Zach Currier and Holden Cattoni were also on the Mann Cup winner.

“It doesn’t matter what level you’re winning championships, when you get that taste and that hunger it makes you want it more,” Dickson said. “We got that taste, and now we have that itch to go out and bring that championship back to the city of Calgary. It’s been a few years since they’ve experienced that. A lot of us, this will be our first, and we’re thinking what better year to do it than this year?”

Expectations have always surrounded Dickson, and this year will be no different. Although he embraces the challenge, personal goals have become secondary.

“As cliche as it sounds … to help the team win,” Dickson said, listing his main objective. “I’m going to be taking a bigger leadership role this year. The biggest thing for me — I’ve done all the big statistics years, scored my 50 goals, 100 points and whatever else — I’m getting up there, I’m not getting any younger.

“The biggest thing in this league is consistency. Find a way to have your offence, your defence and your goaltending all show up on a night and ready to play. That’s kind of been our Achilles heel — something we have to work on. We know it’s doable.

“The pen’s been put to the paper. We just have to put the product on the floor.”

Another individual the ‘Necks will count on offence is Wesley Berg, who on Friday ended his holdout and signed a one-year deal with the team. Heading into his third year, Berg last season set career highs with 35 goals, 13 on the powerplay, and 79 points.

“Very excited to get out here and see all the familiar faces that I’ve missed,” said Berg. “It’s negotiations, right, and both sides are going to feel that there are some things left on the table. But I’m happy to be in Calgary and now can focus on lacrosse.

“If anything, it was a good extra month for rest, to get the body back to 100 percent. This is the best I’ve felt coming into a season in terms of the legs and nagging injuries. It’s a positive.”

As well on Friday, the Riggers shipped the talented young Vaughn Harris to the Buffalo Bandits for a fifth-round pick in 2018.

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